Mattress fabric



- F. E. MILLER MATTRESS FABRIC -July 20,1926. 1,593,502

Filed Dec. 8, 1924 l atented Jul}? 20, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

. FRANS E. MILLER, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO MILLER AUTO BED AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, A CORPGRATION OF CALIFORNIA.

MATTRESS FABRIC.

Application filed December 8, 1924. Serial No. 754,503.

My invention relates to a metallic mattress fabric particularly applicable for use in foldable or knockdown beds where such mattress is arrangedto be held taut when the bed is set up for use or folded or gath' cred together when the bed is folded or taken apart. I

An object of the invention is to provide a mattress fabric of the character described which may be folded or gathered together without danger of the parts becoming knotted or entangled with each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mattress fabric with the foregoing advantage whichwill present a relatively uniformly fiat upper surface when in position for use.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of my invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the said drawings and description, as I may adopt variations of the preferred form within the scope of my invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the fabric embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of a portion of the fabric, the plane of the section beicilig indicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1; an

Fig. 3 is a View similar to that of Fig. 1 showing the manner of attachment of the fabric with the bed frame.

Beds and couches, particularly those of the folda-ble and knock-down type, are usually provided with a flexible metallic mattress formed of a mesh-work of chain links or the like, and upon which the top mattress is adapted to be supported. Such a mattress, when arranged for use, is resiliently held extended and taut, yet, when the bed is folded or knocked down, the mattress is folded or rolled up in such a manner as to occupy a minimum space. Very frequently in such manipulation of the usual mattress, the parts thereof become entangled so that much difficulty and annoyance is often experienced before'the parts are untangled to permit the mattress to be extended. In accordance, however, with my invention the fabric is designed in such manner that no entanglement of the parts may be effected, and as a result the disadvantages heretofore encountered in the use of such type of fabric are entirely eliminated.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, which is here illustrated, the mattress fabric comprises a plurality of rows of parallelly disposed flexible members 4; connected at their ends through the medium of springs 6 to a foldable or knockdown frame 7 The members I are preferable in the form of chains made up of links 8, each of which, as here shown, includes a pair of loops 9 and 10 extending longitudinally of the chain but disposed at right angles to each other. WVith the links thus formed, a chain may be held so that while one loop 9 of each link lies in the general plane defined by the series of chains, the associated loop 10 will lie perpendicularly to such plane. The links, or, what is more essential, the corresponding loops, of the different chains are preferably alined, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Positioned at suitable intervals in each chain and preferably arranged in corresponding transversely alined loops of the series of chains are links 12 which are in the form of elongated rings having substantially parallel sides 13. The links 12 extend transversely of the chains and lie flat in the plane defined by the chain series. 7

chains are connected together by links 14 having eyes 15 in which engage the ends of the links 12. It will be noted that eyes 15 of adjoining links 14 will be disposed at opposite sides of the link 8 in which the associated link 12 engages, and that the eyes, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, are large enough to prevent their insertion through the loop of link 8. In this manner the link 12 will be effectively prevented from becoming disen gaged from the link 8 without interference with the free movement of one with respect to the other. It will be noted that when the chains are extended, as ivhen the mat;

tress is ready for use, the links 12sand 14, which really form chains extending transversely of the ,lchains fl, will cooperate with the latter to hold them in proper spaced relation.

The holes or loops defined by the links 12 are not large enough to permit the insertion therethrough of any of the lin s 8. In addition to this, as previously stated, the links 14, although permitting an appreciable longitudinal movement of the links 12, cannot be inserted through the links 8, and as a result the links 12 cannot be withdrawn from links 8, but will invariably be held practically centrally positioned in the same. It will thus be evident, first, that regardless of the folding or hunching of the mattress fabric, entanglement or knotting of the mattress parts will be most etl'ectively prevent ed; and second, that in the accomplishment of the foregoing, the desired flexibility of the parts in the extended position of the mattress, is in no way interfered with, but is rather improved.

I claim 1. A mattress fabric comprising a series of chains arranged in transversely alined rows, a transversely ext-ending link inserted through one of the links of one of said chains, means including a link for connecting said transverse link to a chain of an adjacent row, and means on one of the last two mentioned links for preventing the disengagement of said transverse link from the link in which it is inserted.

2. In a mattress fabric, a series of substantially transversely alined members at least an intermediate one of which is flexible and provided with a link having an opening whose axis lies substantially transversely of said chain and substantially in the plane defined by said members as a series, an oval link coplanar with the fabric and extending longitudinally through said opening with both sides disposed therein and both ends protruding therefrom, and means for connecting said members together comprising links on opposite sides of said flexible member having eyes engaging the ends of said oval link and preventing the withdrawal of the latter from the opening in which it is disposed.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Oakland, California, this 15th day of November, 1924.

FRANS E. MILLER. 

